By Andrew Warshaw
May 31 – They are the underdogs with the bookmakers, are in unchartered territory and face a side desperate to make up for the pain of 12 months ago. But as the old cliché goes – or two clichés to be precise – it’s 11 versus 11 and anything can happen on the day when Tottenham Hotspur take on firm favourites Liverpool for Champions League glory on Saturday.
May 30 – With FIFA’s ruling Council meeting in Paris on Monday, UEFA have been quick to bring their representation on the decision-making body up to its full quota of eight by electing veteran Frenchman Noel le Graet to replace the disgraced Reinhard Grindel.
By Samindra Kunti in Baku, Azerbaijan
May 30 – Chelsea demolished London rivals Arsenal to win the Europa League 4-1 after a soporific first-half and a 23-minute second-half onslaught that left Arsenal reeling and reflecting on a failed season. The North Londoners will miss out on Champions League football for a fourth consecutive season.
May 30 – Switzerland’s 20 first and second division clubs have unanimously turned their backs on much-publicised plans to overhaul the Champions League as fears over a split between leagues and clubs intensifies.
May 30 – The line-up for the Edinburgh Sports Conference, September 5-6 – titled ‘The Future of Football Transfers and Players’ Agents’ – will have Neymar Snr as one of its keynote attractions.
By Samindra Kunit in Baku, Azerbaijan
May 29 – At last the long journey and wait have come to an end. Tonight a London derby in Baku will decide the winner of the 2019 Europa League in a final that will be remembered by all involved for all the right or wrong reasons.
May 29 – Madrid authorities are launching a massive security operation ahead of Saturday’s all-English Champions League final as thousands of Liverpool and Tottenham fans converge on the Spanish capital.
By Andrew Warshaw
May 28 – With his club embroiled in a UEFA investigation into alleged serious breaches of financial fair play and reportedly facing a possible European ban, Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has hit back by saying some of their rivals are simply jealous of the club’s success.
May 24 – Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has added his voice to criticism surrounding UEFA’s choice of Azerbaijan for next week’s all-English Europa League final – and says the absence of Henrikh Mkhitaryan for political reasons “should not happen” in this day and age.
May 24 – UEFA look set to elect a replacement next week, most likely on an interim basis, for Germany’s Reinhard Grindel who was forced to resign last month as a UEFA vice president and as a member of the FIFA Council after being forced out as president of his national federation.
May 24 – Montenegro’s appeal against playing their next home match behind closed doors after supporters racially abused England players has been rejected by UEFA.
May 23 – With anticipation mounting ahead of a potentially pivotal summit of Europe’s clubs early next month to discuss the future direction of the Champions League, those who represent their inner sanctum are giving nothing away as to what the outcome might be.
May 23 – Juventus has said it plans to build a new stadium specifically for its women’s and youth teams near to its Allianz Stadium.
May 22 – The decision by Arsenal’s Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan not to travel to Baku in Azerbaijan to play in the Europa League final against Chelsea on May 29 has been described by the Azerbaijan FA (AFFA) as an “unwarranted decision”.
May 22 – LaLiga president Javier Tebas, who first applied the phrase “financial doping” to football to describe how the likes of Manchester City and Paris St Germain allegedly attempt to flout UEFA’s financial fair play rules, is back on the attack, repeating his stance that both should be kicked out of European competitions if found guilty of violations.